For years I'd dreamed of owning my own home. But traveling—and spending money on other things—took priority. My financial situation was such that I could only get a loan that gave me very few options for buying property. But I knew that God always keeps us in our right place, whether it is living with parents, sharing an apartment with friends, or renting a one-bedroom apartment. To me, being in the right place doesn't necessarily mean a specific house or job or physical situation, but just being in the awareness that He is watching over us and guiding our decisions in life.
A few years ago it became apparent to me that the time was right to take the necessary steps to become a homeowner. I took stock of what I owed creditors, and mapped out a plan to have all my debt paid off in one year. It took discipline, but I never felt that I lacked for anything I needed. In fact, I was able to move into a new apartment along the way and still keep on my schedule—even though the move involved a large payment up front. I was also able to travel to see my family during the holidays, as I'd always done.
During this time, I went to open houses, but properties in the Boston area were always way out of my budget. I was going mainly because it was fun to go through the different dwellings, rather than because I was seriously looking to purchase a home. I just knew that someday I wanted to buy some property. And as Mary Baker Eddy says in Science and Health, "Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds."Science and Health, p.1. I found it helpful, in my own case, to play with the word deeds. I thought of deeds not only as actions but also as deeds to a house.
